Dog Community

Mobile Grooming

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:11:55 PM

I've just made an appointment for a mobile groomer to come to my house next week to sheer my sheep...er... I mean groom my dogs. lol Skyler especially is way overdue for a clipping, and he really is starting to look like a little wooly lamb.

I am oh-so hopeful that I like her and that I'm happy with the pattern she puts on them. I can't even tell you what a relief it will be to have someone come to my house to do the grooming. I work from home and so often when it's time for a grooming appointment, I'm in the middle of a project and I either have to reschedule or else work half the night to make up for the time I lose getting them groomed. The grooming shop I'm currently using is 25 miles away so if I come back home while they are being groomed then I end up driving 100 miles and if I wait for them, then I spend 2-3 hours cooling my heals and I usually end up going to the mall and spending too much money. Either way, it kills half the day.

I was pleasantly surprised at the price too, only $15 more per dog than the grooming shop. Between the gas and my time, it will be worth it. I usually groom Bailey myself, but I'm going to let her groom him this time around too because I've been too busy with work to get him done.

The one thing I'm wondering about though...she said it would only take about 45 minutes per dog. I said "wow, that's fast" and she said "yes, I have some really phenominal equipment". I didn't think about it until after I hung up, but I wonder what she meant by that. Is there some kind of super-duper dryer, and if so - is that good or bad? I'm such a worry-wart about these things.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:16:47 PM

She's probably going to force dry them, then fluff dry them individually until they're done. I don't know though, I'm thinking that would take more than 45 minutes, especially if she has to set the pattern on one of them, and straighten everything up. That's QUICK.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:19:41 PM

Gosh, it takes me 30 minutes to clip Emma and there's no scissoring involved. Not including a bath....

minimom

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:38:48 PM

Hmmm, that's what I was thinking, it's awfully quick. I did get a pretty good vibe from her on the phone, for whatever that's worth...which isn't much. And she has a website showing the inside of her trailer and it really looks like an expensive/state-of-the-art setup to me, so I at least know that she's not a fly-by-night wanna-be groomer who will be rolling up here in a '65 VW bus. lol

I explained to her that Skyler is really bad about having his ears done and that someone might have to help hold him, and she told me that I can stay in the trailer with her if I want/need to be....so at least I know that's an option.

Jennie, can you explain what a force dryer is, and is that a good thing?

soxgirl

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:42:32 PM

I use a mobile groomer for my scottie and it was the best grooming experience ever! Yes, it only takes 45 minutes and for ONCE he loved the groomer...a lot less stress on him. I hated leaving him at the groomers for 3 hours, just sitting in a cage most of the time. He hated it and became dead weight going in to the salon...it was pitiful. But he loves the mobile groomer and she does the best job yet. She just blow drys him with a dryer, and he never has to come in contact with other dogs and is right outside our door...what a great invention! I could never understand why it took 3 hours at the grooming salon...one time it was passed 3 hours and she was just starting to clip him when I got there! I said no more after that, so he sat there for 3 hours, minus the bath in a cage, he was probably so scared. He is funny when we would leave he would not look at anything but the door!

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:46:35 PM

A force dryer is a dryer that uses forced , room temp air. It just blows hard, LOL. It pushes the water and loose coat (on shedding breeds) off of the dog. If you use it for a long time (usually on something like a husky), it'll get warm, but it never gets hot, so it doesn't dry them out at all.

Schnauzer ears are the worst. I'd be bad about them, too.

minimom

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:53:26 PM

Thanks for the input soxgirl, that makes me feel better.

Jennie, why are Schnauzer ears the worst....because they are a pain for groomers to do or because you come across a lot of Schnauzers that don't like having their ears done? Bailey stands perfectly still for his ears (both clipping and plucking), as he does for everything else. Skyler just hates having clippers near his his ears.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/9/2006 4:57:56 PM

They're the hairiest ears and the dogs almost always hate having them messed with. I feel bad for them. I wouldn't want somebody pulling all that hair out of my ear

Poodles have less than half as much ear hair as Schnauzers. So do most other dogs. It's not usually much fun for the dogs. I hate plucking ears, anyways.... I always feel bad, especially when they get upset or squeak and squeal.

minimom

Posted : 3/9/2006 5:12:01 PM

Ah, I see. I'm pretty good about plucking their ear hair a little bit here and there on a frequent basis inbetween groomings. That's something that Bailey's breeder drummed into my head eons ago. If it's done frequently enough it doesn't hurt them (kind of like plucking eyebrows) and it doesn't leave a ton of hair for the groomer to pluck.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/9/2006 6:51:27 PM

That's probably a lot nicer for your dogs. Most of the ones I see have theirs done every 6 weeks or more.

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 3/10/2006 1:51:12 PM

We had something similar when DS #2 was a baby - it wasn't exactly a mobile groomer, but she picked the dog up & took her to her home where she had grooming facilities set up, then returned her later. It was so nice not to have to wrestle a dog and an infant in and out of the car.

theresamat

Posted : 3/10/2006 2:55:12 PM

Soxgirl, you have a Scottie? I would love to see pictures of yours. I have a 12month female Scottie. She hates to be groomed too! I wish we had a mobile groomer around here I will have to look into that. She had an awful experience with a groomer and now she is scared to death. I stay with her now when she's groomed, having it done at home would be great.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 3/10/2006 4:51:09 PM

Hey Kelly, what day are Bailey and Skyler getting groomed on? I'd love to hear about your experience.

Kate

Posted : 3/10/2006 5:04:04 PM

ORIGINAL: jennie_c_d

Hey Kelly, what day are Bailey and Skyler getting groomed on? I'd love to hear about your experience.

Yes, I'm curious with your experience as well. I hope all goes/went well!

fancypants1

Posted : 3/11/2006 6:31:30 PM

I am a mobile groomer in Connecticut, and love it. Schnauzers can easily be done in 45 minutes if they're good for grooming. Their coats dry very quickly, they brush out fairly easily, and their coats scissor nicely. When a groomer is working on your dog in a van there are generally no disctractions...No phones ringing off the hook, no other customers dropping off or picking up their dogs, etc. 3 hours for a salon really isn't that bad considering all the things that are going on.

I love working in a mobile unit. Its great to be able to work one on one with a dog from start to finish. The dogs are must more relaxed and it is easier to concentrate on doing a good job.

I don't think I'll ever go back to grooming in a salon.